Saakashvili says NATO must not hesitate this time

NATO hesitated in 2008, and the result was a war, says Georgian leader Mikheil Saakashvili. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili says 2012 has many parallels to 2008, and that NATO needs to show decisiveness to avoid a new war between Georgia and Russia.

He says NATO hesitated in 2008, and must show more decisiveness at a summit in Chicago next week, in order to deter Russian aggression.

In a statement made during a visit to the U.S., Saakashvili writes that he hopes ‘Georgia’s progress will be observed on the way to alliance integration, which unlike in 2008, presents a serious deterrent factor to any kind of aggressive plans.’

In 2008, there was expectation in Georgia that NATO would offer a membership action plan at the summit in Bucharest.

NATO did not do this, but instead made a commitment to sometime in the future offer Georgia a membership. This decision then was seen as important in Tbilisi, however, part of the political spectrum consider it a contributing factor to the war that year. Now, political Tbilisi is looking with anticipation to what NATO will decide at the summit in Chicago, which is likely to be of great importance.

In a video appeal, the president said that “the situation this year is very important for us because, if we make certain parallels it is very much formally like 2008: then, it was also a NATO summit, there was also elections in the U.S., Russia, and Georgia and we all well know how 2008 ended in a situation when NATO showed somewhat hesitation. And so this year as never before is very important to observe that we have progress in NATO.”

He made reference to something the NATO’s Secretary General said, that Georgia has the largest progress in regards of integration.

“Naturally we will need patience, before we become full NATO member. But NATO integration process is very serious deterrent factor against us to implement any kind of aggressive plan and today, it is one of the most important guarantees for Georgia’s security.”

He noted that Georgia will participate in each event planned at the summit, which is three meetings: One about ISAF in Afghanistan; a meeting of 13 NATO partners, which contribute in Alliance’s operations and a meeting of the foreign ministers of aspirant countries.

The president said the document will remark what the country’s non well-wishers don’t want to.

“…Georgia’s progress in regards of getting closer to NATO and integration. These are merits of our internal reforms, but also the boys who fight on the frontline, so important for Georgia and by this they provide Georgia’s security and that no one wouldn’t be able to repeat scenario of 2008 not this year and never in the future.”

TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili says 2012 has many parallels to 2008, and that NATO needs to show decisiveness to avoid a new war between Georgia and Russia.

He says NATO hesitated in 2008, and must show more decisiveness at a summit in Chicago next week, in order to deter Russian aggression.

In a statement made during a visit to the U.S., Saakashvili writes that he hopes ‘Georgia’s progress will be observed on the way to alliance integration, which unlike in 2008, presents a serious deterrent factor to any kind of aggressive plans.’

In 2008, there was expectation in Georgia that NATO would offer a membership action plan at the summit in Bucharest.

NATO did not do this, but instead made a commitment to sometime in the future offer Georgia a membership. This decision then was seen as important in Tbilisi, however, part of the political spectrum consider it a contributing factor to the war that year. Now, political Tbilisi is looking with anticipation to what NATO will decide at the summit in Chicago, which is likely to be of great importance.

In a video appeal, the president said that “the situation this year is very important for us because, if we make certain parallels it is very much formally like 2008: then, it was also a NATO summit, there was also elections in the U.S., Russia, and Georgia and we all well know how 2008 ended in a situation when NATO showed somewhat hesitation. And so this year as never before is very important to observe that we have progress in NATO.”

He made reference to something the NATO’s Secretary General said, that Georgia has the largest progress in regards of integration.

“Naturally we will need patience, before we become full NATO member. But NATO integration process is very serious deterrent factor against us to implement any kind of aggressive plan and today, it is one of the most important guarantees for Georgia’s security.”

He noted that Georgia will participate in each event planned at the summit, which is three meetings: One about ISAF in Afghanistan; a meeting of 13 NATO partners, which contribute in Alliance’s operations and a meeting of the foreign ministers of aspirant countries.

The president said the document will remark what the country’s non well-wishers don’t want to.

“…Georgia’s progress in regards of getting closer to NATO and integration. These are merits of our internal reforms, but also the boys who fight on the frontline, so important for Georgia and by this they provide Georgia’s security and that no one wouldn’t be able to repeat scenario of 2008 not this year and never in the future.”